Downtown Ellicott City Reopening in Phases for Pedestrians, Vehicles

ELLICOTT CITY, MD — Main Street in Ellicott City will reopen gradually, starting with portions this week, the county executive announced Tuesday.

The thoroughfare running through historic downtown Ellicott City has been closed since July 30, when the area was overcome by a flash flood that killed two people and caused an estimated $22.4 million in infrastructure damage (see the report with damage estimate at the bottom of the article).

In the weeks since the flood, Main Street access has been restricted to business owners, residents, utility crews and first responders for cleanup and rebuilding.

County Executive Allan Kittleman revealed Tuesday that the reopening process would begin shortly, stating: "Effective tomorrow morning, we are taking two steps to shrink Main Street's no-access area."

By early September — in approximately two weeks — he said he hoped that vehicles and pedestrians would be able to use the bridge connecting downtown Ellicott City to Baltimore County.

Ellicott City Recovery Timeline (tentative, subject to change)

Note: Parking will not be allowed on Main Street until further notice.

Wednesday, Aug.24:

• Main Street reopens from Ellicott Mills Drive to Court Avenue. Vehicles and pedestrians permitted at the top of Main Street, from Ellicott Mills Drive to Court Avenue. Parking will be on Ellicott Mills Drive.
• Old Columbia Pike reopens down to Main Street. Park on Lot D using Roussey Lane.
• Businesses on the Tiber Alley will have seven days to continue cleaning up lower Main Street.

Thursday, Aug. 25, and Friday, Aug. 26: Merryman and Hill streets will be repaved. Credentialed residents can park in Lot F.

Saturday, Aug. 27: Half of Parking Lot F reopens; this makes 46 spaces available, with the other half of the lot reserved for county vehicles.

Early September (in about two weeks): Bridge to Baltimore County over the Patapsco reopens, restoring pedestrian and vehicle traffic to bottom end of Main Street up Maryland Avenue.

For the next three weeks, Main Street will be a "major construction site" including sidewalk installation, shoring-up of buildings, stabilization/repair of Hamilton Street, major work in front of Salon Marielle, Kittleman said.

BGE will be installing a new 4-inch natural gas line on Main Street from Court Avenue to Maryland Avenue, hooking up nearly 70 properties along Main Street.

"Main Street remains a major construction site," Kittleman said Tuesday. "Please, if you don’t have a real reason to be here, don’t come just to gawk or sightsee. Many have asked, 'How can I help?' Well, that’s one of the ways."

He said the situation was dynamic and he could not give a time table for the full reopening of Main Street, as repairs were ongoing and could reveal more issues that would need to be addressed.

"We'll see," said Kittleman. "I'm hopeful that we'll ... be able to light up the holiday tree there, the Christmas tree there and have a celebration in December."

• How to Help Ellicott City Flood Victims
• Man from Ellicott City Human Chain Video Says He's Not a Hero
• 911 Calls from Ellicott City Flood: 'The Floor's Buckling'
• Ellicott City Business Owner: 'Too Early to Say' What Future Holds for Main Street

The Howard County Office of Emergency Management also gave preliminary damage estimates in a report this week presented the the County Council:

• $22.4 million in public infrastructure damage and repair
• 90 businesses were significantly damaged
• 107 residences were damaged; 109 residents affected
• 249 vehicles were removed from Main Street area
• 22 vehicles were removed from Patapsco River

The full report is posted below.

Photos from County Executive Allan Kittleman.